The brutal murder of one British aid worker and threat to kill a second will add urgency to efforts today to form a substantial international coalition to mount an assault on Islamic State (IS) extremists.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will attend a summit in Paris as Washington seeks military commitments from more regional and global allies for the fight to push back the jihadist advance.

David Haines, whose beheading by an English-accented militant was shown in a video posted by IS on Saturday, was apparently killed by the same cell which took the lives of two American journalists in recent weeks.

CAMERON IN LAST-DITCH SCOTLAND TRIP

David Cameron will today make a last-ditch trip north to urge Scots to vote No in the referendum and keep the United Kingdom together.

The Prime Minister, who campaigned in Edinburgh last week, will be back in Scotland ahead of Thursday's crucial vote, which could lead to the break-up of the UK if there is a majority for independence.

With just three days of campaigning left, political leaders on both sides of the debate will be intensifying their efforts in a last-gasp attempt to win over undecided voters.

PHONES 4U TO GO INTO ADMINISTRATION

Phones 4u is to go into administration - placing more than 5,500 jobs at risk - after network operator EE joined Vodafone in cutting ties with the retailer.

The company said its stores will be closed today pending a decision by the administrators on whether the business can be reopened for trading.

Phones 4u said the decision by EE not to renew its current contract, which is due to end in September next year, was a "complete shock" and meant it would be left without a single network partner after Vodafone said earlier this month that it would not extend its agreement.

NHS FUNDING MUST INCREASE - DOCTORS

The next government must increase NHS funding to avoid a financial crisis, leading doctors have warned.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said that hospitals are "under-resourced and under pressure" adding that a "crisis in care can only be avoided by a significant increase in health funding".

Ahead of the party conferences, the RCP also urged MPs to pledge not to perform another top-down reorganisation of the health service.

WARNING OVER CARE OF HEART PATIENTS

Many heart attack patients are missing out on potentially life-saving aspects of care, a new study suggests.

Researchers examined more than 100,000 heart attack victims and looked at whether or not they received nine key aspects of care.

Of the 31,000 eligible for all nine steps, just over half missed out on at least one key aspect of care.

ATTACKS ON FRONTLINE WORKERS 'RIFE'

More than 400 frontline workers in the health, emergency service and transport sectors are attacked on duty each week across the UK, fresh figures have revealed.

Freedom of Information data from hospital trusts, emergency services, the transport sector and Government departments show 65,970 workers were attacked on duty in the last three years, equal to around 420 incidents a week.

A new report from the Greater London Authority (GLA) Conservatives, which collected the data, calls for the transport sector and emergency services to begin trials of affordable wearable technology, such as wearable panic buttons and body worn cameras.

HARRY CELEBRATES HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY

Prince Harry's 30th birthday celebrations began last night with a "beer" as he marked the end of his hugely successful Invictus Games.

Harry, who has been the driving force behind the sporting event, said he would have a drink with Britain's Invictus team captain and double amputee Dave Henson who, like the Prince, turns 30 today.

The prince will have earned a pint after staging the Invictus Games which ended last night with a triumphant pop concert in the former Olympic Park featuring the Foo Fighters, Kaiser Chiefs and Ellie Goulding.

ASHYA TO START PROTON THERAPY

Five-year-old Ashya King is set to start a proton therapy treatment plan in the Czech Republic to help him beat brain cancer.

His parents Brett and Nagmeh King sparked an international police pursuit after they removed Ashya from Southampton General Hospital without doctors' permission in a bid to take him abroad for the specialist treatment, which is not available on the NHS.

The Proton Therapy Centre (PTC) in Prague released a schedule for the first day of the youngster's treatment for a brain tumour, which will see him leave the University Hospital Motol this morning and then undergo irradiation.

STRICTLY ROLE 'WASN'T REAL BRUCE'

Outgoing Strictly Come Dancing host Sir Bruce Forsyth has told how he found the show restricted his talents as an entertainer and did not allow him to be himself.

The veteran star, who fronted the show for a decade, also admitted he had "very mixed emotions" about leaving the dance series and would miss the team.

In an interview with Hello! magazine, he said he was enjoying his freedom following his departure from the show and said: "The world is my oyster."

INQUEST INTO TIGER WORKER DEATH

An inquest into the death of a wildlife park worker mauled to death by a tiger will begin today.

Sarah McClay, 24, was attacked by a Sumatran tiger at South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, on May 24 last year.

Miss McClay, from Barrow-in-Furness, was going about her routine duties in the big cat enclosure at the park when the incident happened.